No tricks this April Fool’s; just a tip about what to do

So far, this entire year has already felt like one giant April Fools joke. I usually look forward to writing some silly show for this day to see if I can fool you into thinking it’s true, but that just seems like a dirty trick this year.

I’m not going to try to trick you with an April Fools show this year. We’ve
all had more than our fair share of news lately that is either depressing,
alarming or maddening. Because of that, I’ll refrain from trying to trick you
today.

Instead, I offer you an idea of a way to get out of quarantine for a little
while, get some fresh air, and have a good time. You’ll still want to avoid
areas where 10 or more people are congregating, but it’s easy to find a place
where you can be by yourself in Wyoming’s wide-open spaces.

Get a camo outfit gathered up, grab your .22 rifle and your binoculars, and
get outside, because today is one of the two days of the year the jackalope
season is open. The other is February 30, but we’ve already missed that one.

That’s too bad, too, because in the early season, jackalopes are more easily
attracted with a jackalope call. During this late season, you’ll just have to
find them. They’ve already finished the jackalope rut, so they’re content to
just hunker down in the sagebrush or undergrowth and chill during the day.

You can track jackalopes if you know what to look for. Their tracks are
similar to jackrabbit tracks, but you can tell the difference if you find rubs
on small trees and bushes. Even when they’re not shedding velvet, buck
jackalopes are aggressive, and they often work off their aggression by sparring
with the vegetation.

They’re extremely elusive creatures, though. Chances are, you won’t even see
one. But they’re out there. Be patient, use your binoculars to scan the brush
very carefully, and you might get lucky.

At the very least, though, even if you don’t find any, you’ll have spent a good day in Wyoming’s outdoors. And there’s certainly something to be said for that.

This week, I’m giving advice on how to become a wildlife photographer – or reasons you might want to do something different with your life. Today’s installment deals with the nuts and bolts of it. The expensive nuts and bolts.